Once Upon a December
by Mouse9
Summary: The third in my Christmas series. It's time for the Christmas angel to have someone look after her for a change.


Originally, I had planned to wrap up this Christmas story with a trilogy. The muses say no. Next Christmas will be the finale to this continuation. This can be read as a stand-alone or as the third chapter to my Eleanor Shortman Christmas stories.

As usual, the characters (except Eleanor) belong to Craig Bartlett and Snee-Osh. I am always grateful that they allow us to play in their playground.

* * *

Out of all the stupid ways to almost bite it, getting hit by a car the day after Thanksgiving while trying to cross 42nd street had to be the worst. And because her life was one big irony after another the fractured pelvis put her in the hospital with a discharge date not until the next year. Which mean she was spending Christmas in New York Presbyterian Hospital instead of Aruba like she had planned.

As the days loomed closer Helga grew more and more frustrated. She didn't want to be here, not this close, not during Christmas. She'd made her apologies to Gertie and Phil seven years ago, stopping back one last time after performing her last Christmas miracle. She couldn't go back to that town, not anymore. Watching him that final year; hugging his daughter and his parents. He had finally gotten everything he deserved for Christmas and for just a moment, after Rhonda had kissed her cheek and called her a softie, after Phoebe had hugged her one more time before retreating into the kitchen to help finish the dinner, Helga just watched the four and the smile of pure joy on Arnold's face.

And her heart broke.

The only times she saw that look of pure joy on his face was when she had given him something; not monetary, but had sacrificed something to give him what he truly wanted. Like she'd told the sullen fourteen years old on that day; she had seen true goodness, it was him and he made her want to be a better person. Her curse was she couldn't do it while anyone was around. So she gave silently, quietly, anonymously.

And at that moment the only other gift she could ever give him was to go away and let him live.

So she left, returned to the cemetery one last time to apologize to Gertie and Phil for being a coward and for not being able to celebrate Christmas with them anymore. And then she left Hillwood. Although every year, no matter where she was, she did end up setting off a couple of fireworks for them.

She wouldn't have even been in stupid New York if her agent hadn't insisted she had to do the signing of her published book of poems. And she wouldn't have been running late for her flight if more people than even her or her agent expected and she hadn't been such a sap and allowed the signing to be extended for another hour, which made her later than she expected which was why she was on 42nd street trying to get a cab when the car hit her.

Stupid New York.

Stupid agent.

Stupid her.

She growled under her breath looking out the window at the snow quietly falling. Here it was Christmas Eve and she was stuck in a hospital about fifty miles away from him unable to either run away or go to him.

Not that she would.

_You could always pick up the phone braniac._ Gertie's voice whispered in her mind. Helga growled again.

"Not helping old woman." She muttered under her breath, because it wouldn't do for the nurse to hear her talking to herself. Then again, they would probably figure it was all the pain medication she was on.

After she'd left Hillwood _run away_ she had started hearing Gertie Shortman's voice whispering in her mind. She and Arnold's grandparents had developed an odd friendship as she'd grown so it was completely believable to her that Gertie would come back to haunt her…or it was her own subconciousness using the older woman's voice to torment her; either explanation was feasible.

_You know he'd take you in, you stubborn child._

Personally she was betting on ghost.

She tried to get comfortable and winced as pain shot from her hips to her legs. Sighing, she reached for the call button to get more medication so she could sleep.

Even her dreams didn't give her peace that night. Abstract shapes and colors surrounded her and she was falling and she heard voices talking about her and she couldn't wake up.

As a result, she was in an even more miserable mood when she woke up the next morning. The mood grew worse when she spotted a young brunette girl sleeping in the recliner near her bed.

"Who the hell are you?" She snapped, wincing because the pain medication had worn off. The girl opened her eyes and moved her legs from the curled up position they'd previously been in. She looked around the room blearily a slight frown marring her features.

"I came here with a friend of yours." She explained as she stretched. "She told me she was planning on spending Christmas with you since you were stuck here and I decided to stay also." The girl twisted around and then rolled her shoulders. "Nobody should spend Christmas alone."

Helga glared at the girl. "Nobody knows I'm here. So you can start over and tell me again why you're sleeping in my room. And who the hell you are."

Another frown. "My name is Ellie. And Gertie knows you're here." She insisted. "I picked her up just outside Connecticut and she told me where to drop her off. She probably went to get something to drink, she should be back soon."

Helga groaned, lying back in her bed. "Meddling old woman." She growled softly before raising her voice to the young woman sitting in the chair across the room. "Sorry girlie, you just got sucked into a crazy old woman's pranks. Best to get home to your parents, they probably miss you."

"Gertie's probably my age. I'm not sure what you're talking about." The girl said.

"Well, that's a new one." Helga grumbled, reaching over and pressing the nurse call button. "Look, it's hard to explain but the girl you picked up last night isn't coming back in here. And what are you doing picking up strangers on the side of the road anyway? Didn't your parents teach you any better?"

The nurse walked in with a tray of food and needle full of medication cutting off any answer the girl would have given.

"How are you feeling today Ms. Pataki?" The nurse asked.

"In pain."

"That means you're healing." She quipped placing the tray of food on the rolling table. "Better pain than no feeling at all."

"Yeah, yeah." She held out her arm, allowing the nurse to plunge the needle into the stint in the IV. She capped the empty needle and slid it into the hazard box by the bed before looking at the girl across the room.

"Can I get you anything?"

"She's just leaving." Helga interrupted, lifting the lid on her breakfast. The girl stood up, smiling at the nurse.

"No thank you. I'll grab something in the cafeteria."

"Or you could go home." Helga said, biting into a piece of toast. "I don't need anybody."

The girl looked at her hard for a moment and Helga felt something she hadn't since she'd been younger, the pang of disappointing someone. The girl shook her head and picked up her purse.

"I'll be back." She said before leaving the room.

"Don't bother." Helga muttered biting into her bacon.

* * *

When she was younger, her Christmases were never anything to write home about. She did get a bunch of presents, but she soon discovered that even dozens of presents could never replace just one word of encouragement or love from her parents. Those were so few and far between that when they did happen, Helga had held onto them closely. But even those faded as she grew older and Helga had eventually learned to rely on herself. And no matter how fond Gertie and Phil Shortman were of her, they weren't her parents.

After she left Hillwood, she had grown what some termed "Scroogish" around the holidays. She didn't celebrate Christmas, she couldn't. The holiday did nothing except bring back painful memories. She would never have the textbook Christmas ending where an angel came down to show her how everyone else's life would be worse if she wasn't there, because she knew exactly how everyone would be if she wasn't there, the same as it was now only with less annoyances. And her parents would have probably been much happier. Any Christmas miracles were done by her not for her.

"I've read all of your books." The voice of the young woman piped up. Helga looked up from the notebook she was writing in and stared at the brunette woman in the doorway.

"Haven't you left yet? Or is this going to be like that one book with the crazed stalker?"

The girl snorted and stepped into the room again, dropping her purse in the chair she'd abandoned hours ago. "Please, do I look like I could kidnap you out of here if you didn't want to go? And me staying isn't because I'm a fan of your writing."

"So you're not a fan of my writing?" She closed the notebook and put it to the side. The young woman confused her. Usually she could run anyone off within minutes, she was good like that. But this young woman was stubborn as hell and wouldn't take a hint.

_Remind you of someone?_

"I'm a fan. I like your writing but that's not why I stayed once I recognized who you were."

"You mean when the nurse tipped you off by calling me Ms. Pataki?"

"No, I recognized you last night. Even if you never gave me your real name, I would never forget the face of my Christmas angel."

Helga's blood ran cold. She realized why the look the girl had given her earlier had resonated deeply within her.

"You're Eleanor Shortman." She said blandly.

The girl nodded. "And you disappeared off the face of the Earth seven years ago. Do you know how many people have been looking for you?"

"Look if you're trying to return the favor, you can forget it. I was asked by someone to do a solid and I did it. Don't read anything else into it."

_Except nobody asked. Nobody living anyway._

Helga ignored the voice. "I don't want thanks or platitudes. I just want to be left the hell alone. And now knowing who you are, I can definitely imagine that you need to leave to get to Christmas dinner. Your mother is probably furious and your father is probably worried to death."

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Please, my mother will get over it and my dad already knows I'm not going to be home for Christmas."

"If you told him anything…"

"I called him last night before I even knew who you were." She said, interrupting the beginning of Helga's rant. Then she smiled mischievously. "I did, however, text Phoebe while I was at breakfast."

"You are an evil, manipulative young woman." Helga stated. Eleanor didn't even bother to act offended.

"You know who my mother is, don't you?" She moved her purse and sat in the chair facing Helga. "So you and I both know that Phoebe told my dad right after she got that text. And we both know that my dad is going to be hell-bent to drive up here to see you. I figure we have at least an hour or two before he comes running through that door. This is more than enough time for you to tell me just why you took off after giving both me and my father our greatest Christmas wish and not sticking around to reap the benefits."

Helga stared at Eleanor hard for a long moment before sighing heavily, defeated. It wasn't like she could just run away.

"I told you, I was doing a favor for Santa. And Santa's helpers don't stick around to get thanked."

"Bullshit."

Helga raised an eyebrow. "Well if you have the answer, why don't you tell me why you think I left?"

"Because you were scared."

It was Helga's turn to roll her eyes. "That's rich. Scared of what, may I ask?"

"That's what I don't get yet. I know what you did for me that Christmas. And according to Phoebe, who won't tell me much of anything, mind you, you did one other Christmas miracle for my dad when you were both young. I don't know what it was; all I know is that it was big." She leaned forward studying Helga. "You have always been my dad's Christmas angel and I want to know why."

"That is not something I'm willing to discuss with his daughter. Or, for that matter, anybody. My reasons are my own, just like my reasons for leaving are my own, no one else's. If it weren't for the stupid book signing, I'd be in Aruba right now drinking Mai Tai's and forgetting this holiday even existed. Since I can't have that, what I'd really want for Christmas is to be left alone. You don't get it young Eleanor, I'm not the person who gets to have the happy ending, and I'm the one who makes sure everyone else has them. And if I choose to have one day where I don't feel miserable or resentful, then that's my right. And neither you, nor Gertie get to change that, no matter how hard you wish." She blinked furiously, the medication finally setting in and making her say more than she meant to. "Now, please leave. Go home to your family and celebrate Christmas and forget you ever picked up a ghost on the side of the road and came here and I'd really appreciate it if you forgot this entire morning. Go home Eleanor and enjoy your family."

The young brunette stood up, tears in her eyes. She picked up her purse and walked towards the door. "You're wrong Helga." She said before she left the room. "You get to be happy too."

Helga watched the woman walk out of the room before she was able to relax again. She didn't want anyone feeling sorry for her and she definitely didn't want her drug addled brain filled with what could have been. Closing her eyes, she tried to forget everything that happened and let the drugs drag her back to unconsciousness.

* * *

The medication and breakfast combined with the lack of sleep from the night before gave Helga a good couple of hours of sleep. She awoke feeling better than she had that morning. Her mood improved when she turned her head just enough to see the setting sunlight bouncing off the buildings and the skylines just outside her window. Christmas was almost over and she had slept through a good part of it. Eleanor had gone home to celebrate the holiday with her family and she could finish this holiday quickly and quietly and then it was only one more day closer to completely healing and getting out of this town. She could get a nurse when she got home to help with the little things.

"You always did think too loud." A deep familiar voice said softly. Helga froze.

There had been a plan. Who the hell screwed up the plan?

She turned her head towards the voice. In the dying light Arnold sat in the chair occupied that morning by his daughter and her breath caught in her chest. He looked tired. He leaned forward in the chair, his eyes fixed on her, his forearms resting on his legs.

"You made Eleanor cry this morning." He stated his voice matter of fact. Helga sighed heavily. If she was ever going to deal with him, she would have liked to at least have been dressed; not in a hospital gown, hair limp and wearing a catheter.

"Do you want me to apologize?" she asked irritably. "I think this is enough to earn not being harassed in my hospital room." She gestured towards her covered legs. His eyes followed her gesture, gazing at the blankets before lifting to look back at her.

"No. I explained to her that she shouldn't take offense to it. She doesn't know how you are."

"Why are you even here?" She asked tiredly. She wasn't prepared for this meeting, even though she should have known that once Eleanor Shortman found her, it would only be a matter of time.

"Because you are." He answered honestly. "I've been looking for you for seven years. To say thank you."

"I don't want your thanks football head." She snapped. "I just want you to leave me alone."

The slight knowing smile that had always made her knees go weak slid across his lips as he stood up. "No you don't. I have to say, I was shocked that day when Eleanor told me someone with her name had driven her to the boarding house so see me. From the moment I came back with my parents, everyone had been trying to help me go through the court system to get joint custody of her. And there you were on Christmas bringing her straight into my living room like it was nothing. Nobody else had been able to get close enough to her to talk to her." He shook his head as if he still couldn't believe it. "My one Christmas wish, to have my entire family together and you did it."

"You found your parents." She said, watching him just stand at the end of her bed.

"You know what I mean." He walked along the bed towards her. Stopping at the head of her bed, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Thank you Helga. Thank you for always being my Christmas Angel."

"If I say you're welcome, will you leave?"

How in the hell, after all of these years, did he still have the ability to make her heart pound in her chest?

He straightened, his green eyes studying her. "No. You've done so much for me over the years I just want to do one thing for you."

She panicked. "No. I don't want anything. Just go home Arnold. Go home to your family and enjoy the holiday."

"Just," his voice faltered a moment, "Just let me spend this Christmas with you. No family, no friends, just us." The grin came back. "We celebrated Thanksgiving together once; it's only fair we celebrate Christmas."

She stared calculating at him for a moment before finally relenting. "Fine. Just this one day."

His smile grew. "I can get the nurse to add another tray to dinner; she'd been asking me if I was staying anyway."

She nodded, lifting the head of the bed slowly. He grabbed one of the chairs and pulled it closer to the bed. Sitting down he took her hand and squeezed it. She wanted to deny it, but she couldn't.

"Merry Christmas Helga." He said.

She like that he was spending his Christmas with her. It was selfish, she knew, but when it came to him, she had always been selfish.

"Merry Christmas Arnold." She answered.

It wasn't a Christmas miracle, but she would take this small present. In the distance, she could hear Gertie cackling in delight.


End file.
